"ANNA PERENNA, "THE GRANDMOTHER OF TIME AND FERTILITY, IS A VERY ANCIENT ROMAN FERTILITY GODDESS WHO WAS WORSHIPPED IN THE SACRED WOODS IN NORTHERN ROME. SHE WAS THE OLD CRONE DEITY OF THE YEARLY CYCLE. HER NAME MEANS "TO LIVE THROUGH THE YEAR "(ANNA) AND" LASTS MANY YEARS" (PERENNA), STILL SEEN IN THE ENGLISH WORDS ANNUAL AND PERENNIAL. SHE RULES THE CYCLES OF LONGEVITY AND RENEWAL, AND WAS THE DEITY WHO BROUGHT ABUNDANCE AND PLENTY TO HER PEOPLE.

SHE WAS DEPICTED AS AN OLD WOMAN AND HONORED ON THE "IDES OF MARCH", A CRONE GODDESS WHO WAS ALWAYS DEPICTED WITH GRAY HAIR, A WRINKLED FACE, AND A STOOPED BACK. SHE WORE A TRAVELING CAPE AND CARRIED WITH HER A BASKETS STUFFED WITH FOOD. "ANNA PERENNA" WAS THE GODDESS WHO LIKED BRINGING THE SWEETHEARTS TOGETHER. HER RITUALS WERE THEIR KISSES AND THEIR DANCES.

ON THE DAY SACRED TO HER, FAMILIES GATHERED THEIR OWN BASKETS OF FOOD, PITCHED TENTS, AND LAID BLANKETS. CHILDREN PLAYED GAMES AND YOUNG COUPLES COURTED EACH OTHER. EVERYONE ATE AND DRANK THEIR FILL. IT WAS A JOYOUS DAY FILLED WITH A GREAT DEAL OF DRINKING, DANCING, AND PARTYING. THE IDEA WAS TO DRINK AS MANY CUPS OF WINE TO "ANNA "AS YOU WISHED TO LIVE. AT SUNDOWN, EVERYONE GATHERED THEIR BELONGINGS AND STREAMED BACK INTO THE CITY IN AN INFORMAL PROCESSION, SINGING SONGS OF PRAISE TO "ANNA PERENNA. "

FOUND IN A SACRED HEALING TEMPLE ON THE ISLAND OF MALTA, SHE HAS BEEN SLEEPING FOR NEARLY 6,000 YEARS...THE DREAMING GODDESS WHO IS THOUGHT TO REPRESENT THE GODDESS RELIGION WHICH WAS PRACTICED SO MANY, MANY YEARS AGO ON THIS ISLAND. HER EYES ARE CLOSED. SHE SLEEPS IN A DEEP SUBTERRANEAN TEMPLE WHICH WAS DUG OUT BY ANTLER PICKS. SHE LIES ON HER SIDE ON A SMALL BOATLIKE STRUCTURE, A LARGE WOMAN WHO WEARS A FULL-LENGTH BELL-SHAPED SKIRT; HER BREASTS ARE EXPOSED. HER RIGHT FOREARM IS UNDERNEATH HER HEAD; THE OTHER IS DRAPED ACROSS HER HEAVY BREAST. HER FACE APPEARS AS RED OCHRE.

WHO IS SHE...THIS MYSTERIOUS WOMAN WHO SLEEPS IN THE POSE RECOMMENDED FOR TIBETAN DREAM YOGA? IS SHE THE GODDESS WHO DREAMED THE WORLD INTO BEING OR A PRIESTESS UNDERGOING A RITE OF INCUBATION. IT IS MOST LIKELY THAT SHE REPRESENTS A POWERFUL SHAMAN WHO ENTERS THE DREAM WORLD TO OBTAIN KNOWLEDGE, THE DREAMING GODDESS OF THE SHAMANIC JOURNEY. SHE REPRESENTS THE ANCIENT PRIESTESS DREAMERS WHO WERE ORACLES FOR THE COMMUNITY, ONE WHO VENTURED DEEPLY INTO THE DARKNESS FOR DIVINE INSPIRATION, DREAMING VISIONS OF WHOLENESS FOR ONE'S PERSONAL HEALING, THE COMMUNITY, OR FOR MOTHER EARTH.